May I Have This Dance?
by A Dragon Guarded Heart
Summary: Being at Norths Gala alone, surrounded by pretty spirits and their partners; Cupid is left feeling alone and unwanted...again. and it sucks for her. (i swear i write better than i summarize)


**I do not own Rise of the Guardians or any of its characters. I do own my character Ashley though and Ember is owned by her creator ****Katherine Pitchiner12 ****She's an awesome writer so go check out her stories! And if you haven't read mine ****Now I might not be so alone**** and ****souls stained black ****you might not entirely get some of the things that are said but anyway enjoy!**

"I'm not panicking!" Oh who was she kidding she was definitely panicking…

She had been so calm and happy when she was helping put up decorations at North's earlier today.

He had asked her if she wanted to help set up the ballroom for his annual Winter Gala of the Spirits and of course she had said yes. North's gala is one of the biggest parties of the year and almost all of the sprits that are in good standing with him attend. Cupid had never known about it until she met Jack Frost about a year ago so this would be the first time she had attended. That's if she did attend.

The entire day of hanging crystal chandeliers from the ceiling with the tooth fairy and cleaning then frosting the windows with Jack had kept her busy and her mind off of the party. But when she left to go get ready everyone had told her how much they wanted her to come. That it would be a fun new experience, that she would meet so many people, that she would look so beautiful when she showed up in her formal attire.

But they didn't get it, all of those things terrified her. She was so scared of getting blown off by other spirits because they didn't want anything to do with her. She didn't want to be at a dance all alone again…

But she didn't want to disappoint her friends either.

Cupid sighed, this argument was pointless, she already knew she would go, she could never let down a friend.

She flopped down on her bed, but what would she wear? She growled and pulled at her hair. "That's it!" she roared.

Excaliver's head shot up in alarm at her outburst before a finger was pointed at him, "Emergency meeting! Follow me!" she shot through the floor of her cloud home. The dragon rolled his eyes and reluctantly followed after her.

Cupid landed softly of the ground and let out a long whistle. The ground in front of her started to shiver before her pet Giant Venus fly trap emerged from the ground. He lunged his head forward to engulf her in a loving bite but she jumped out of the way and his mouth hit the ground.

"No snips, we don't have time for that"

The plant whined at its master. She laughed and rubbed his head, "we'll play later ok?" He shot up and smiled happily. Excaliver landed in front of them with an expression that read 'get on with it'.

She blushed and looked at the ground, "I need you guy's help picking out a dress…"

Excaliver face palmed and glared at her.

"Shut up!" she yelled, "This is serious! I'm going to a big Gala with lots of people and I need to look pretty or else they won't even look twice at me. So shut up and help me out!" she huffed and projected the outline of a dress up in front of her. "Just tell me what looks good and what doesn't ok?"

Different styles of dresses flashed in front of them as they shook their heads or nodded. This sequence was followed by colors and then much to her discomfort shoes.

She stepped back and looked at their finished product, "I like it" she chimed happily. "Time to put it on" she conjured up various fabrics and sewing material around her, she grinned as she got to work. Fabrics, needles, and scissors spiraled around the dress' design blurring together as her gown quickly formed.

She magically brought the dress over to her and created a barrier around her so she could change into it. Cupid undressed and slipped on the gown along with a pair of small heels. She styled her slight bands to the side and put a matching bow she quickly made in her hair.

Letting the barrier melt around her she turned towards her companions. A light blush tinted her cheeks, she felt vulnerable being in a dress again. Excaliver nodded in approval and Snips clapped his leaves together. Her blush darkened as she walked over and gave each of them a hug. "Wish me luck guys." She was going to need it.

Rearing her wings she shot off into the sky followed by a comforting roar, and oblivious to the pair of golden eyes that watched her leave…

Cupid landed next to the front door to North's ballroom. She peeked inside. The room was filled with spirits of all kinds. Some wore ball gowns, some wore armor, and there were many ages of suits and tuxes that some wore. The party was already in full swing due to her being late and it was hard for her to zero in on either Sandy or Jack. But it seems that they found her first.

She heard Jacks voice call her human name above the crowd. She quickly ducked back outside the door, terrified that Jack had probably just turned all of the attention her way.

"Hey Ashley! Come on in-….woah" he and Sandy had stopped in their tracks. They were breathless as they took in her beauty.

She was wearing a light blue strapless dress that was longer in the front than in the back. The blue slowly started to fade at her stomach as a see through layer of light purple draped over the blue color of the dress. It ended in ruffles of blue and purple at her knees and continued farther down behind her. Her shoes were small white heels that wrapped up her shin like vines and the bow in her blond hair matched it all perfectly. Her sterling eyes shrunk in fear as they continued staring at her.

"do-do I look okay?" she quietly asked.

Jack nodded still wide eyed and sandy happily stuck two thumbs into the air.

Ashley blushed and curled in on herself a bit, "really?"

Jack snapped out of his trance, "Yes you look awesome now come join the party!" he grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside. She felt eyes fall onto her as Jack and Sandy led her to the rest of the guardians.

Tooth zipped up to her, "oh Ashley you look so lovely!" she chimed as she zipped around her inspecting her dress her own pink dress fluttering behind her.

North's voice boomed, "Ah! Ashley finally you are arriving!" he wrapped his arms around her in a strong hug. Bunny walked up behind him, "Hello Sheila, glad you made it." All of the male guardians were wearing suits with vests that matched their primary colors and Bunny just wearing the vest.

"You guys all look awesome too" she smiled.

"Um, hey Ashley can I talk to you?" Jack asked blushing.

She cocked her head, "sure Jack." She followed him as he led her to an outside balcony. "What's up Jack?"

"I um, I need your help."

"With what?"

''I uh, I need you to…to teach me how to um…how to dance…" Jack rubbed the back of his neck a light blue blush covering his cheeks.

She doubled over in laughter, "That's it!? Bwahahahaha! Oh man Jack it thought it was going to be way worse like you wanted me to make out with you so a girl you liked would get jealous." Tears were forming in her eyes she was laughing so hard.

Jack's light blush darkened fiercely, "No! No! Nothing like that! I just want to ask her to dance."

Ashley wiped the tears from her eyes, "ok ok come here Jack" she took his hands and placed one on her hip and she held the other out to their side. "It's a lot easier than you think Jack. It's a step then three steps in place." She moved with him as she counted out "step one, two, three."

She smiled happily as Jack kept up with her movements pretty easily, "See? You're a natural! Now I'll let you I'm on a little secret. You're already making this girl happy by asking her to dance, because girls love to dance. But our secret is that we absolutely love to get spun and dipped."

Jack looked at her puzzled, "really? I thought they hated that because they're afraid that they'll be dropped."

"Well then don't drop her" she smirked. After showing Jack how to spin his partner he wanted to try dipping her.

"Erm, let's not, "she squeaked.

"Why?"

Ashley rubbed her arms nervously, "I actually _do_ have a fear of falling"

"What!? Aw Ashley come on I need to practice."

"No you're ready, just don't drop her and you'll be fine. Now let's go inside before my toes go nu-…..Jack?"

"Yea?"

"Are you seriously not wearing shoes?"

Jack didn't respond.

"You're unbelievable," she muttered as the two walked inside.

Ashley kept close to Jack and Sandy staying near the walls to the outskirts of the crowd for most of the party. As Jack and Sandy were pulled into a conversation by the Tooth Fairy she slipped away. Walking up to the spirit in charge of the music she requested the next song; Jack so owed her after this.

Sneaking back to Jack like she never even left she pulled him aside. "So who is this girl you want do dance with? Point her out to me."

Jack searched the crowd, "that's her" he pointed.

Ashley followed his finger till her eyes landed on the target. She was about her height, had black hair, gold eyes, her skin was kind of pale, and she wore a stunning black dress with white accents at the top and bottom of it. Ashley thought she was stunning. No wonder Jack was so nervous about dancing with her…

"Wow Jack she's beautiful"

"Yeah…" Jack sighed happily.

Ashley grimaced, "oh dear" she thought, "he's head over heels for her." Her head snapped up as she heard the song end and the song she requested start to play. Shoving Jack in the direction of the mystery girl she happily yelled at him, "Go! Ask her now! This is your chance!"

Almost tripping as she pushed him Jack finally summed up the courage to walk over to her. Leaning back against a wall she watched with a smirk as the girl blushed as she nodded and Jack swept her into the dance floor. Ashley watched as Sandy lead tooth out to the dance floor followed by North and Bunny with two spirits she didn't recognize. Her smile started to fade as she realized she was the only one not dancing. Every spirit was dancing with a partner, every spirit but her….

Despair flooded her body along with her painful human memories. She remembered Prom night. The night that was supposed to make up for everything she'd been through, the night that would make her feel happy….maybe even wanted if a miracle occurred. But none of that happened. She was alone. Stuck watching couples hold each other while the only thing embracing her was misery. Even when a miracle did happen she had to give him up for the happiness of another. And then…on that night…she plummeted into the ocean without anyone giving the splash a second glance.

She felt tears start to form at the edge of her eyes when an all too familiar voice snapped her back to reality, "May I have this dance?"

Her watery eyes snapped up at his voice, "P-pitch?" she said breathlessly.

The Nightmare King was bowed to her with his hand outstretched, "The one and only." He straightened back up with his hand still offered to her. "Are you going to answer my question or not?"

Ashley didn't answer. She just kept staring at his hand, like it would disappear if she touched it.

"You're impossible" Pitch scoffed. Snatching her wrist he whisked her onto the dance floor. He placed his hand on her hip and led her in a waltz.

Ashley started to slowly come out of her trance. She kept up with Pitch as her eyes never left his. Her voice was quivering "Why…..Why are you?" she could barely speak, she felt like she was being played, like one breath could shatter the dream she was dreaming.

"Oh please, I could feel your fear of loneliness and rejection from _continents _away." He drawled. Ashley's eyes went downcast and Pitch felt his insides knot. "And…" Pitch grimaced, "I overhead you talking…with..your dragon and plant…"

She saw his cheeks take on a slight shade of purple as her own turned pink. "You were watching me? And then you, followed me here?" a smile was starting to spread across her face.

Pitch started to panic, "No! No! That's not-I-don't even think about-"

Ashley plowed into Pitch in a tight hug, "you were worried about me"

Pitch growled and was about to retort but Ashley looked up at him with what he swears it the happiest smile he has seen in his life, that shut him up quick. He looked away blushing fiercely. Ashley smiled even bigger and nuzzled into the front of his suit, "thank you."

She placed her hand back on his shoulder and they continued their dance. A smile never left her face while a slight blush never left his. Her eyes wandered and landed on Jack and his partner. She kept her eyes on Jack before Pitch spoke up again, "you look beautiful tonight."

She smiled shyly, "you look dazzling."

He chuckled, "may I ask what you're looking at"

"Hm? Oh sorry, Jack was really nervous about asking this one girl to dance so I taught him the waltz to help him out and I'm making sure he's ok."

Pitch looked over and snickered, "well, he's not exactly calm"

Ashley was puzzled, she looked back at Jack just as he shot her a 'help me out I don't know what to do next' look.

"Shit" she breathed.

"That idiot can't do anything right can he?" Pitch smirked and spun Ashley out and brought her back in, giving Jack an expectant look to do the same. Jack looked a bit panicked as he nodded and spun her out but stepped on her foot as he brought her back in. Pitch sighed in annoyance as he watched Jack fumble as he apologized to her. "Face it Ashley he's hopeless, but I suppose I could throw him a bone this one time."

She watched as Jack straightened up and spun his partner out and brought her back in without skipping a beat. When he dipped her like a pro she smirked at Pitch, "what did you do?"

He smiled devilishly, "oh just shadows controlling his arms and legs, nothing much. The blush on both of their faces is priceless." Pitch spun Ashley out again and proceeded to dip her, until her spike of fear had him bring her close. "What's wrong?"

Her eyes were filled with fear, "I'm sorry pitch. I'm just scared of falling."

"Well I got that" he deadpanned, "but what I'm wondering is why? Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do I'm just-" her sentence was cut short by Pitch cupping her chin and placing his lips against her own. Ashley's eyes fluttered closed as she hung her arms around his neck. She could feel the eyes of other spirits on them but she didn't care, not anymore as least. Hell, someone could tie her wings and throw her off a cliff and she wouldn't care. Cause she knew he'd be at the bottom of it, ready to catch her.

He slowly pulled away and dipped her, "and people say _I_ talk too much."

She smiled up at him, "and people say _I'm_ devilishly good looking."

He pulled her in close, "guilty as charged" he purred.

They were the only two on the dance floor by this point considering the song ended during their kiss. Pitch escorted her off the dance floor, never letting go of her hand. That is, until Jack roughly pulled her away in a spinning hug.

"Aw man Ashley I owe you one big time!" Jack chimed.

"o-k-stop-spinning-me" Ashley struggled between spins.

"Oops, sorry", Jack let her go and she stumbled a bit. He cleared her throat, "and um, thanks for your help too pitch"

He smirked, "now was that so hard?"

Jack scowled but otherwise shrugged of that comment. "Hey Ashley come on! I want you to come meet Ember!" she didn't even have time to speak before he dragged her away. She shot Pitch an apologetic look before disappearing into the crowd.

Pitch leaned against the wall as he watched her go, a smile gracing her lips. Sandy floated over to Pitch and waved hello.

"Sandman" he replied.

An image of Ashley appeared above his head accompanied by a questioning smirk.

Pitch faintly blushed again, "what about her?"

Sandman's grin grew and an image of them dancing appeared above his head.

"Your point?"

Sandy gave him a thumbs up.

"You insufferable old man, what is your point!?"

Three words appeared above Sandy's head, "you did well."

A satisfied smile graced his lips. He couldn't have just stood idly by now could he? Pitch had begun to hate the taste of her fear, unless he was the cause of it of course. And if she had his back then he had hers as well. Even if it was something as trivial as being her date to some dance. Pitch remembered the way Ashley smiled at him when they were dancing.

"Well…" he thought, "maybe not so trivial after all."


End file.
